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Saturday, July 27th:
Saturday was a monster day of music. The Funky Meters started the day off right
with the bass mastery of George Porter; Von Grey, a quartet of classically-trained
teenage sisters from Atlanta tore up the stage with skill; The Roots packed the
Main Stage with their hip-hop soul synergy; one of five Vibes acts from Vermont,
Twiddle, jammed away to a loyal fan base; Tribal Seeds brought the reggae
rhythms; Gov’t Mule, set to release a new record on September 24th, gripped the
crowd with a stirring rendition of “After Midnight” in honor of the recently departed J.J.
Cale with sit-ins by Scofield, Evans and Porter; and Rob Garza and James
Murphy satiated those seeking to get weird with some wacky late night DJ sets laced
with lunacy.
Steve Kimock & Bernie Worrell :: 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM :: Green Vibes Stage
Ironic that the man that Jerry Garcia once dubbed as his “favorite unknown guitarist”
would steal the show at Vibes. Inexplicably, Kimock may not be listed on Rolling Stone’s
List of Top 100 guitarists or well-known outside the jam sphere, but at Vibes, he
demonstrated yet again that he is a trailblazing master of his craft. A curious innovator
(and guitar collector) who experiments with different sounds, Steve is able to hone in on
unique tones while carving a niche of his own. Known mostly for his improvisational work
with the band Zero, his recent work as a member of the Mickey Hart band and for being the
first man to replace Jerry Garcia with the Dead in 2003, Kimock has miraculously flown
under the radar – with performances like the one at Vibes, this may not continue for long.
With friends including his talented son John (drums), Andy Hess (bass) Camille Armstrong
(vocals), Bill Evans (sax) and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bernie Worrell (keys), this set
was consistently mentioned as the strongest of vibes from those in attendance. With a
guest-sit in by George Porter, Jr., adding a thicker layer of funky beat to that already
provided by Worrell on “You’re the One”, saw all players let loose for a relentlessly
tight 12-minute jam clinic. Similar to critics of Darryl Strawberry’s natural ability when
he came up, that he must have been dogging it, Porter plays so well and with such
seemingly effortless ease that it all just looks so easy that he must not be trying. It
was a showcase of three professional veterans and school was in session. Kimock credited
his son, John, with pulling all the talent together and you could feel his exultation of
pride when he explained why it worked so well, “we have such incredible chemistry on
stage.” Kimock will be joining Bob Weir and Ratdog at the Peach Fest later this month and
remains a virtuoso that any jam fan or fan of guitar mastery will not want to miss.
Set List: New Africa, Five B4 Funk, 54 46 (was my number), Come Together, You're the One
(w/George Porter Jr on bass), Simple Song,Take Me to the River
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals :: 4:15 PM – 5:45 PM :: Main Stage
Amidst a massive tour, it’s been a very busy year for GP&N. It was apropos that the
beautiful front woman had an ideal slot smack dab in the middle of a gorgeous Saturday
afternoon. The Vermont band, formed in 2002, consists of Grace Potter
(vocals/guitar/keys), boyfriend Matt Burr (drums), Scott Tournet (guitar), Benny Yurco
(guitar) and Michael Libramento (Bass). Lured as if by hypnosis into the frenetic energy
emanating from Potter, clad in a demure yet sexy long white dress, the entranced crowd
heard a mind-bending opener of "Medicine.” The heavy guitar-driven bluesy rock and roll
outfit, veterans of a plethora of festival appearances including Hang Out, Bonnaroo and
GOTV in 2009, continued with a variety of old favorites and a slew of material from the
new album The Lion The Beast The Beat, which dropped in June. For over 1.5 hours,
genre-jumping and tempo changes proved a strong asset to the band as it segued from a slew
of slower soulful tunes to toe-tapping rocking ones. One should also take note of
bassist, Michael Libramento, who plays it upside down and left-handed, but nothing can
overshadow the undeniable songwriting skill of Potter, who maintains her stature as a
multi-threat, with her prowess behind the mic and the Hammond B3, complete with model-like
aesthetics and her commanding stage confidence. Her style is reminiscent of an iconic
‘70s Stevie Nicks, but her voice remains a unique amalgam of the sweet nuance of Edie
Brickell and the sexy hoarseness of Kim Carnes. Loyal fans know the calculated change she
has made from the hippie styled wide-eyed singer/songwriter from just a few years ago into
the polished and classy fashionista she has become. Sex appeal sells records, but unlike
some other pop acts, Potter pulls it off because her talent consistently trumps more
shallow enticements. In the wake of the news of J.J. Cale's death in the morning, Potter
conjured up a stirring version of “Cocaine” and dedicated, “Stars” to the fallen idol.
Not surprisingly, she invited her friend, Warren Haynes, who she dubbed, "The Godfather of
Rock and Roll", to come out and sit-in.
Set List: Medicine, Never Go Back, Goodbye Kiss, Stars, One Short Night, Devil's
Train,Turntable, 2:22, Big White Gate, The Divide, Nothing but the Water (I),Nothing but
the Water (II),Your Time Is Gonna Come,Paris (Ooh La La),The Lion The Beast The Beat,
Cocaine
Papadosio :: 4:00am-5:30am ::
Having performed a sunrise set at last year’s festival, it was well documented that
Papadosio was one of the highlights for attendees of last year’s festival. In the vein of
“why change a good thing?”, the schedulers brought back the jamtronica outfit, that has
seen a meteoric rise of late, to recreate the same magic in the exact time slot this year
and with similar results. The eco-friendly festival veterans and outspoken activists from
Asheville, bombarded the senses for 1.5 hours to a resilient and responsive crowd of early
morning revelers. Still travelling across the country in support of their studio album
release, T.E.T.I.O.S., Papadosio continues to push the envelope with an energetic
fury.
Find Your Cloud, Garden>Taking Turns, Magreenery, Puddles for Oceans, New Love, Dream
Estate, Snorkle
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